Transformation
by fishysquishums
Summary: Before Fenrir Greyback was a werewolf, he was a young man in love. But maybe he should be more careful with who he falls in love with.
1. Chapter 1

**Ello! I decided to write a story about Fenrir Greyback. Dunno why, but an idea popped into my head, and I just had to write it. And just to clarify, at this point, he isn't a werewolf. It's actually about how he becomes one. **

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Fenrir Greyback hated his name. Honestly, what was his mother thinking when she named him? And it didn't exactly lend itself to nicknames. What were people supposed to call him? Fenny? What kind of name is Fenny? So he made everyone call him Greyback. 

Greyback had somewhat of a reputation as someone you don't mess with. He had been a rather tall, scrawny thing until his fourth year at Hogwarts. Eventually, he got sick of being bullied, and decided to 'bulk up' a bit. When he came back that summer, some people thought he was an exchange student from Durmstrang. Needless to say, he was quite pleased with that, and enjoyed the look of shock that passed over everyone's faces when he announced he was Fenrir Greyback, the gawky loser everyone liked to pick on. He had spent the entire summer building muscle and wallowing in thoughts of revenge. Now he wasn't a genius, but he wasn't an idiot either. So he couldn't rely on spells alone, but he figured he had a good-sized arsenal (he also spent part of his summer learning hexes) in case pure physical strength wasn't enough to pummel the guts out of his former tormentors. After all, Greyback had a great love of revenge and a temper to boot. So once he had made it clear to the other students he could break all their little arms and wasn't afraid to do it, he was given a pretty wide berth.

Now that he had graduated Hogwarts, Greyback worked in Borgin & Burkes. Mr. Borgin had hired him in 1960, as soon as Greyback graduated. Borgin and Burkes were glad to have some extra help. He liked his job. He loved dark artifacts. He loved anything beautiful, in fact (though he didn't let anyone else know that). And a good deal of dark artifacts were beautiful. They were usually either very beautiful or rather ugly. Another reason he liked his job was the people he met there. The shop wasn't as popular as Flourish & Blotts, of course, but he thought Knockturn's Alley's regulars were much more interesting. Just last week, in fact, he had served a vampire. They had a conversation about the merits of the Cleansweep 3, then the vampire bought a pack of cursed playing cards and was on his way.

On this particular day, Greyback was in a good mood. Both Mr. Borgin and Mr. Burkes had fallen ill with scrofungulus. So he had the shop all to himself. He sat behind the counter, in the middle of reading a book on dangerous magical plants when he heard the door open. Greyback scowled. He wasn't in the mood to take care of customers at the moment. Couldn't they see he was busy? He looked up, and to his surprise, lost interest in Devil's Snare. Before him, studying a human skull, was a young woman wearing purple robes. Her back was to him, but he was enraptured by the long, shimmering black hair that fell down her back.

"Could I help you find something, miss?" Greyback asked, suddenly nervous.

As she turned around to face him, Greyback's jaw dropped. She was easily the most beautiful woman he had seen in his life. She was rather petite, but still had a perfect figure. She had pale, glowing skin and large blue eyes. Greyback couldn't find a single flawed feature. He hadn't found women too interesting before this point in his life, but now he thought he might melt into a puddle all over the floor.

"Actually, do you have any blood?" Her voice was silvery.

"Blood?" Greyback was confused. "Yes, I have blood."

"I mean the shop. Do you stock any? I need some for an experiment."

"Ooh. Yeah, let me get it." Greyback marked his place in his book, then went to one of the back rooms. He found a dust-covered bottle of human blood, then walked back to the counter. The angelic woman was patiently waiting for him, a slight smile on her face, as if she was thinking, "I know something you don't." It disconcerted Greyback slightly. He handed the bottle of blood to her.

"'Ere you are. Anything else?"

She frowned in thought. "Do you have any books on potions?"

"Potions? Our books are over there." Greyback pointed towards the back corner of the shop. "But let me show them to you. Some aren't safe to open, you know."

"Okay."

So he led her to the bookcases. Once she picked one out, they went back to the counter.

"The blood and the book come up to 14 Galleons."

She gave Greyback the money and was about to leave the store when he asked a question that had been bothering him.

"Are you part veela?"

She turned back, and smiled. "Yes, actually. My great grandmother was one."

"What's your name?" He hoped he wasn't probing too far, but the the question just popped out of his mouth.

"Aylin. Aylin Vance."

"I'm Greyback."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Greyback." She smiled again. Greyback could feel his heartbeat speed up.

"Same here." After a pause, he said, "Want to go on a date with me?"

She looked surprised, but not nearly as surprised as Greyback felt at her answer. "Sure. How about the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Of course! What time is good for you?"

"Seven on Friday?"

"Okay!" Greyback felt slightly dizzy. "See you then."

As Aylin glided out the door, he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

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**This chapter is really crappy, but I promise, after this it gets better! **


	2. Chapter 2

** Here's Chapter 2! I think it's a little better than the first chapter. I'd like to dedicate it to AngerClinicPatient98, for giving me my first ever review! Thanks!**

Greyback looked at himself in his grubby bathroom mirror. How did he get himself into this situation? He was going on a date with the loveliest person on Earth. He didn't need to scrutinize his own reflection to know he was far from lovely. He hadn't cared about his looks until now. And as far as looks go, he was rather ordinary. He had straight brown hair chopped off around his jaw line and hazel eyes. He hadn't shaved in about a week.

_Why is she interested in me?_

He could still remember the way Aylin seemed to float across the floor, how her eyes gleamed brightly even within the dingy shop. The otherworldly smile that had melted his insides.

He looked at the clock. It was only a half hour until his date. Greyback had never even been on a date before. He had no idea what had possessed him to ask _her_ on one. Probably because she was part veela. Shaking his head at his stupidity, he admitted what he had known since he marked the event on his calendar.

"I'm doomed."

He started to brush his teeth. Once he was satisfied, he attempted to make his hair look a little more even. He failed miserably. Nine minutes left. He walked into the living room of his messy flat. Five minutes were spent pacing. When only four minutes were left until seven, Greyback decided he had had enough.

Greyback apparated in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Luckily, no muggles noticed. He walked inside the pub and looked around to see if Aylin was there. She wasn't. Greyback looked at his watch impatiently.

"Why are you so frustrated, Greyback? I got here on time."

Greyback spun around, reddening when he saw Aylin standing a few yards away.

"Er.. my watch must be fast." He said, quickly thinking up a lie. "It says 7:15." He felt bad lying to her, but didn't want her to think he was so anxious to see her. After all, he had a reputation to keep.

"May I help you?" The bartender appeared next to Greyback. He seemed to be directing the question at Aylin, completely ignoring him. Greyback glowered at him, even though he knew if he were in the bartender's position he would do the same thing.

"Table for two, please." Aylin said politely. "That table in the corner, if it isn't a problem."

The bartender nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, of course. Go ahead and sit down. Would you like anything to drink?"

"Just a glass of gillywater for me, please." Aylin told him. "What about you, Mr. Greyback?"

Greyback shook his head. The bartender left, leaving Greyback alone with Aylin.

"Must be nice, everyone treating you like royalty," he said in an undertone.

Aylin shrugged. "I guess I am at an advantage, aren't I? But I hardly think I'm treated like royalty."

"Don't try to deny it. All you have to do is smile at a bloke and you might as well have him under the Imperius." Greyback replied. Aylin smiled prettily, a hint of pink creeping into her pale face.

"And there you go doing it again!" Greyback laughed, something he hadn't done for quite some time. He just didn't have room to laugh in his life. It just didn't fit, like a puzzle piece that had been distorted from soaking in water for a long time.

"So, tell me about yourself. All I know is that you work in Borgin & Burkes and your last name is Greyback." Aylin said.

"I think that's more than what I know about you. The only thing I know about you is your name and you have some interest in potions." Greyback retorted. But one look at Aylin's face coaxed more out of him. "Well, I'm twenty, graduated Hogwarts two years ago. My full name's Fenrir Greyback, but I prefer Greyback. I was a Slytherin." He scratched his chin. "Not much to say. I've been working in the shop ever since I got out of school."

At this point, the bartender came back and gave Aylin her gillywater. She took it (smiling, of course), and thanked him. Once again, he pointedly ignored Greyback. Once he was gone, Aylin focused on her date.

"Do you like your job? It must get quite spooky working there." She took a sip of her gillywater.

"Oh, yeah. Dark artifacts aren't really my specialty, but I enjoy it. I'd like to go further in the field.. except it's a bit shady of course, so there aren't that many job opportunities."

"Hmm.. that's interesting." Aylin looked straight into his eyes. Greyback's breath caught in his throat. For a moment only he stared straight back into her perfect azure eyes, then she blinked and continued. "Well, I suppose you don't want to know anything about me?"

"Of course I want to know about you!"_Where have you been all my life?_ Greyback wondered how he could have missed someone who so obviously couldn't be from anywhere less than heaven.

"My name is Aylin Vance, I'm one-eighth veela. Twenty years old, same as you. Anything else you wish to know?"

Greyback frowned. He didn't remember seeing her at Hogwarts, and there was no possible way he could have overlooked her. She must have been a foreigner. That would explain everything. Except her lack of an accent.

"Where are you from? I know we didn't go to Hogwarts together."

"I was home-schooled, actually." Aylin began to stir her gillywater with her wand. She seemed intrigued by the whirlpool it created.

"Home-schooled?" The idea was completely foreign to him. Everyone went to Hogwarts. "Why?"

"When I was younger, I had very fragile health. And my parents were always rather overprotective. They just didn't want me to go."

"That's.. too bad. You really missed out." Greyback couldn't imagine a life without Hogwarts. It was a huge part of the wizarding world.

"Well, I don't really know what I've missed, so it isn't that terrible. I've managed without going." Aylin was watching him again. Greyback could hear his heart pounding and wondered if Aylin could. He picked at his fingernails, unwilling to meet her eyes again. He knew what he would be risking if he did. If he dared look into her eyes again, he might just fall in love. And love didn't quite fit into his life.

Before he knew what was happening, however, Aylin lifted his chin to look at her. It was too late now. He couldn't pull his eyes away from hers. At this moment, Fenrir Greyback couldn't help but fall for Aylin Vance.


	3. Chapter 3

**Woot! Longest chapter yet! And I think this one is the best so far. **

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Reluctantly, Greyback stepped into Perkin's Salon for Witches and Wizards, cringing at the sound of a bell. After his date with Aylin, he decided to make himself a little more presentable. He had taken up shaving, and now brushed his teeth on a regular basis. Today was Wednesday, the day Greyback figured the establishment would be emptiest. Luckily for him, his prediction was correct. The last thing he wanted was to be seen in a place he considered so namby-pamby. He didn't like the idea of putting the fate of his hair in someone else's hands, but he trusted himself even less when it came to that sort of thing.

He was greeted by blonde, smiling witch in a powder blue dress. Greyback doubted whether this trip was worth it, not for the first time.

"My name is Sally. How can I help you today?" She said overly cheerily.

"Uh." Greyback said ever-so-eloquently. "I need a haircut."

"Come on, sit down in this chair. What would you like?"

Greyback moved towards an uncomfortable-looking stool and sat down. "I dunno."

Sally summoned a small book. She stuck her wand behind her ear as she flipped through it, then found what she was looking for. She turned it towards Greyback, and asked, "How about this one?"

Greyback almost gagged. The picture was of a young, handsome man with a haircut that looked like something Greyback had once seen on a poodle.

"No."

"Well how about-"

"Let me see the book." Greyback interrupted. He skimmed through it briefly, then decided it was rubbish.

"Just make it look... better." He grunted.

"How?"

"I don't know! You're the hair person!"

"I can't just start cutting away!"

"Just even it out, then!"

"But that's so BORING!"

"Do you want my money or not?" Greyback decided he had never met a more annoying person in his life. Luckily, Sally did seem to want his money. She took her wand out and without another word to her customer, began her work. She muttered a spell, than began to draw a line where the hair would be cut. Once it was to her satisfaction, she muttered another spell, and the hair fell off. This unnerved Greyback. He preferred a good set of scissors and doing it by hand. But when Sally handed him a mirror, he had to admit it looked much better. He stood up, pulled a few Sickles out of his pocket, handed them (along with the mirror) to the girl, and practically ran out before she could do anything else. Except for calling out, "Would you like a coupon for your next visit?"

Phht, next visit. Greyback would rather visit Madam Puddifoot's. He Apparated back to his flat, a good deal grumpier than before. At least his hair looked adequate now. But if he ever ran into that insane hairdresser again, he might as well admit himself into the crazy house. If she ever said anything to him again, she could say goodbye to her bouncy blonde tresses. Greyback smiled at the thought. He could just imagine the look of complete horror when he cursed her hair off.

He looked at the clock. Ten-thirty in the morning. Where was his newspaper? Usually it came around eight. Maybe it was a new owl delivering it this morning. Or a decrepit one. Greyback went into his little kitchen and started to make lunch. Soup sounded good to him. Once he picked out a pot to cook it in, he heard a familiar tap at the window.

Surely enough, when he poked his head out of the kitchen to look, there was a feeble-looking owl at his window, Daily Prophet tied around its leg. He walked over and opened the window. The owl half hopped, half fluttered onto his table. Greyback didn't really mind the animal sitting where he ate. He always did have a soft spot for owls. Untying the paper, he said, "I'll be right back with your money." He walked back to the kitchen and grabbed a few knuts and a bit of meat. The owl hooted at him when he returned. "Here you go." He gave the owl the coins and the meat, then sat down in his old armchair and began to thumb through the Daily Prophet.

He was about halfway through when someone knocked at his door. Greyback grumbled, folding up his newspaper and putting it on the table next to the owl (it must have been rather tired, since it hadn't moved for about twenty minutes). Just what he needed – a visitor. Probably one of his irksome bosses. He crossed over to the door, and looked out the peephole.

Naturally, it was Aylin.

Greyback opened the door so fast he was surprised it didn't come off at the hinges. Aylin actually jumped back from him, but quickly regained her composure. Greyback smiled sheepishly, and said, "Eh.. sorry. Why're you here?" In the back of his head he was thinking _Merlin, my flat is a mess. I can't let her see it._

"I just wanted to check up on you. You were acting a little strange on our date and I wanted to make sure you weren't sick or something."

"Sick? No, I'm not sick."

"Oh."

Several seconds passed in silence. The light above Aylin's head blinked a few times. Greyback shifted uncomfortably. He couldn't invite her in, of course. The grungy hallway had already embarrassed him enough. What he called home would probably mortify her. Aylin looked at him, but he couldn't quite comprehend her expression. Women were a complete mystery to him.

"I like your haircut." Aylin said.

Greyback was caught completely off guard by the question. Stunned, actually. She liked his haircut? She actually noticed? He stood there for a few more awkward moments, then Aylin spoke again.

"I guess I'll just go then." Aylin smiled at him, and started to turn towards the stairs.

"No!" Greyback said. Aylin turned to him, eyebrows raised. Greyback couldn't help but notice the way her hair fluttered when she moved. How could anyone be so perfect?

"I mean.. uh, want to go somewhere?" Greyback blurted out.

"All right. Do you have any place in mind?"

"I-" Greyback had no idea whatsoever. "I thought you might want to pick something out." He silently congratulated himself on coming up with something so fast.

Aylin frowned in thought and rested her finger on her chin. "I think I know where we can go."

"Where?"

"Oh, it's nowhere you know, I'm sure. You can Side-Along Apparate with me."

Greyback didn't know if he liked not knowing where he was going, but then Aylin grabbed his hand. Her hand was cool and smooth and he was suddenly willing to Apparate to the moon with her if she wanted to. He nodded, then not a moment later, felt the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a tube.

He looked around at his new surroundings. They were in the middle of the woods, encircled by huge spruce trees.

"Where are we?" Greyback asked.

"The Forbidden Forest." Aylin said softly. Greyback stiffened and backed away from her.

"The Forbidden Forest? But.. but.." Greyback was unsettled. But he didn't want to admit it to Aylin. "It isn't safe here."

Aylin looked at him sideways. "We're deeper in than most of the forest's residents. There really isn't much to worry about. Besides, all the monsters aren't as bad as others would have you believe."

Greyback wasn't sure he was entirely comforted by what she said, but he let himself relax a little.

"Besides, if we do run into anything, we both have our wands." Aylin continued. Greyback nodded, glad he had his wand on him at all times.

The pair stood there in silence for a minute or two. Scrutinizing the location a bit more and finding nothing frightening, Greyback's rigid posture became less tense. There was something peaceful about this part of the Forest. He had only been in the Forbidden Forest once before, and he couldn't have been more than one hundred feet in at the time. It was terrifying then. Now.. it was calm. In fact, Greyback couldn't help but think the utter tranquility was eerie.

"Shall we continue?" Aylin asked, shaking him from his reverie.

"Oh, right. Where are we going?" Greyback mentally slapped himself for thinking this was their destination. Of course they were going somewhere. He was sure that Aylin hadn't brought him here to look at the pretty trees.

"Just follow me. You'll see." Aylin gave a sort of half grin, then added with a more serious tone. "Keep close."

"But you said there weren't any monsters in this deep." Greyback said as they started towards their new target.

"I never said there weren't any- just that most don't travel this far in." Aylin said. "If something does happen, it's best to work together, right?"

Greyback nodded, even though he knew she couldn't see him.

The next few minutes were spent walking through the woods. Aylin definitely seemed to know where she was going. Maybe she came here often. Before long, the ground began to take on a downward slope and the trees became thicker. Through the trees, Greyback thought he could see where Aylin was leading him.

"We're here." Aylin said. Greyback's hunch was proved correct. They stepped out onto a small grassy area. In front of them, there was a large pond.

"Isn't it lovely?" Aylin asked, turning to him.

Greyback wanted nothing more right then to say, Yes, you are lovely. But he didn't, knowing he would sound like a complete idiot. Instead, he looked out over the pond and decided it was indeed beautiful. The surface was glassy, the water was clear, and there was a little island near the other shore. He couldn't tell how deep it was, but judging by how dark the water was in the center, it couldn't be too shallow.

"It is lovely." Greyback said, turning back to Aylin.

Aylin then sat down gracefully on the grass, staring out over the water. "I love coming here. It's just so soothing. It helps me forget about the rest of the world." She drew her legs up to her chest and crossed her arms, speaking with a strange detachedness. "The rest of the world is just too complicated. Nothing is as it seems. But here everything is so simple. It's just a pond, a beautiful little spot in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. No monsters lurking just underneath the surface, ready to pull us down into the water." She sighed. "I wish everything could be so pure, so simple."

Greyback was taken captive by her beautiful words. When they arrived at the pond, he had seen only a small body of clear water, and thought it was nice. But after Aylin put her thoughts into words, he could only think of how he couldn't have put it any better. He also understood how this spot was important to her. It was true, after all, how things were often not how they seemed. He saw it all the time at Borgin & Burkes.

As he looked at her, sitting there gazing at the smooth water, he could only marvel at how beautiful she was in comparison to the pond she so adored. They were similar, in a way. Both her and the water were so calm. He wondered how she had found this place. She hadn't gone to Hogwarts, so that ruled out a lot of possibilities. But he didn't want to ask. She looked so absorbed in her own thoughts and he didn't want to disturb her. Just as how throwing a stone into the pond would be the ultimate sin, he didn't want to upset Aylin. They spent a few long moments like this- her in her own world, him watching her wistfully.

"That's why I like you, Greyback." Aylin finally said, still looking at the water. "When you say something, you mean it. You don't have some ulterior motive behind everything you do."

Greyback stared at her in bewilderment. He was a Slytherin for Merlin sake! He wasn't very likable, and he knew this. Average looking, a rather bitter temperament, and his idea of a hobby was dusting off old artifacts before he sold it at a ridiculous price.

But then, as he thought about it, she was right. Generally, he did something because he wanted to, not to keep up some appearance. True, he did occasionally take advantage of some poor customer who didn't know what they were looking for or how much it should cost, but that didn't count. And if he wanted something, he usually asked for it outright. Except in Aylin's case. He didn't dare say anything about how he thought she was beauty personified. He sat down on the grass next to her.

"You.. you actually like me?" Greyback finally managed to ask. "As in friends?" He didn't dare hope for anything more.

She smiled again. "Of course I like you. Why else would I bring you here?"

Greyback looked away, embarrassed. He felt Aylin's take his hand in hers. Looking back at her solemn face, he said, "I just don't get it. I'm not the kind of bloke people like to be friends with."

Aylin shook her head. "That doesn't matter to me."

Greyback felt some emotion swell up inside him. It was something like annoyance, but not quite. Suddenly, he was spilling his guts out. "Well, it should matter! I'm so ordinary and I work at the dingiest little shop in Knockturn Alley and I live in the filthiest flat in the cheapest neighborhood in London. I look at you, and I wonder how someone as perfect as you could stand to talk to me. It's so hard to look at you and know that there is no way in the world you could love me the way I love you." Greyback suddenly fell silent as he realized what he said. There went any chance at all he had with her. He clenched his jaw and looked at the water, willing to look anywhere but Aylin's face.

"Greyback. Look at me, please."

So he did. He looked at her and her odd, almost sad, smile.

"Why did you think I brought you here? Why do you think I opened up my heart to you? I wouldn't tell just anyone what I told you just a moment ago. As soon as we met, I felt so.. I don't know how to say it. But now I understand love at first sight."

Greyback felt as if he was dreaming. He felt dizzy, hardly comprehending what Aylin said. Surely there was a catch. Maybe he had missed something she said. Yes, he probably heard wrong.

"Could you repeat that, please?"

There was no mistaking what happened then. Aylin gently touched his face, then kissed him lightly on the lips. Greyback sat there, stunned.

"I love you too, Greyback. No matter what, I love you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, this chapter is pretty short, but I promise the next one will be longer! I decided we could go a chapter without Aylin.**

**ImagingThings- Shh! I don't think Greyback would be very happy if he heard you say that! **

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When Greyback got home, he felt like dancing. Which was quite unusual for him. Nothing could shake him from the fact that he had been kissed by an angel. And that said angel loved him. He was beyond happy, he was beyond ecstatic. He simply felt as though he had discovered heaven in the form of Aylin Vance.

* * *

"_I love you too, Greyback. No matter what, I love you."_

_Greyback only did what was natural- he leaned over and kissed her just as she had kissed him, albeit not quite as softly. He didn't quite know what he was doing, but it felt right. After a few moments, he pulled away._

"_Are you sure you love me?" Greyback asked cautiously. It seemed too good to be true. Nobody had ever told him that they loved him except his mother. She stopped saying that once he was old enough to go to school._

"_Yes. I'm sure." She moved closer to him. Greyback wasn't sure what to do, so he just wrapped an arm around her. Aylin put her head on his shoulder. Greyback couldn't help but smile._

_A couple minutes later, Aylin shifted her weight. Pulling away slightly, Greyback looked to see if something was the matter. Aylin was staring again, and biting her lip. She turned to look at him, and he could see she wanted to say something. But whatever it was, she must have decided against it._

"_What is it?" He asked. After a pause, she replied._

"_It's getting a bit chilly, I think I'm going to go home."_

_Greyback nodded. He didn't think it was too cold, but if Aylin thought so, then it was time to leave._

"_Are you going to Apparate back home?"_

_Aylin nodded and stood up. Greyback followed her example._

"_When will I see you again?" Greyback said, brushing off the grass that had stuck to his clothes._

"_Not for about another week, I'm afraid. I have some business to take care of at home, and I really can't be disturbed." Aylin said apologetically. _

"_Oh. Well, just come by my flat when you get the time." Greyback said._

_Aylin nodded. "Good bye."_

"_Bye."_

_With that, she turned on the spot and was gone._

_Greyback looked at the pond, shimmering in the midday sun, and decided it was his favorite place in the world._

* * *

He closed the door behind him, and was greeted by a very annoyed hoot. His blissful mood vanished, replaced by an irritated one. 

"What is it?" He crossed over to the open window, then wished he had closed it. The old, decrepit owl had left, and a very familiar one was sitting in its place. It hooted at him continuously as he approached it. Greyback took the letter from its leg. It hooted again.

"Shut up!" Greyback growled. "You hoot one more time and I'll slip something unpleasant into Borgin's tea!"

_Greyback-_

_I'm over the Scrofungulus, but Burke is still sick. We're getting a very important shipment at 1 PM. Be_

_at the shop by quarter of one. _

_--Mr. Borgin_

Greyback groaned. As much as he liked his job, he rather disliked Borgin. He reread the letter. Quarter to one. So he had.. about a half hour. But the mention of a new shipment had him intrigued. Especially an important one. He hadn't heard about it. Maybe someone contacted Borgin while he was sick. Or Borgin wasn't sick at all, but actually on a business trip to Siberia or something. It was a possibility.

The next thirty minutes were spent cleaning his flat. Greyback had decided that if Aylin ever dropped in unexpectedly on him again, he wouldn't have to be embarrassed by the filth. Of course, he didn't quite finish. Roughly three years of rubbish couldn't be cleaned out in a half hour. It would be a long-term project, but Greyback decided it was worth it.

The first thing he saw when he arrived at the shop was Borgin, standing in front of a large pile of boxes. He looked perfectly healthy.

"Morning Greyback. I need you to unpack these and put them in storage." Borgin said briskly.

Greyback nodded, reaching for his wand.

"We have a very special item in this box here." Borgin gestured to a very tall, thin box. "Be extra careful with it. If I come back and there is a single ding on it, you can say goodbye to your job here. When you're done with unpacking, I want you to lock up and leave. Understood?"

Greyback nodded again. "You're not staying?"

"Why should I? Shop's closed today. Good day, Greyback." With that, he left. Greyback looked at the boxes. He figured he should unpack the "special item" first. Besides, he was dying to know what it was. Slowly levitating it towards the back room used for storage, Greyback wondered what it could be. Judging from its shape, he guessed it was a very large painting. He carefully lowered it to the ground once he reached his destination, then opened the box.

It was a mirror. Greyback stared at the back of it for a moment, then went to look at the other side. What he saw shocked him.

He saw his reflection, but that wasn't what surprised him. Behind him, he could see Aylin, smiling serenely. Greyback whipped his head around, but he was completely alone. Frowning, he slowly turned back to the mirror. It hadn't changed. Aylin still stood there, one hand on his shoulder.

Greyback didn't know what the mirror was supposed to do, but after he had spent a few minutes looking into its depths, he decided to put it away. After all, Borgin & Burke's generally sold dark items. Staring at a mirror of unknown properties might not be a good idea. So he turned it towards the wall, and began to unpack the rest.


	5. Chapter 5

The next month seemed to fly by for Greyback. There had been one week that seemed to drag on for an eternity, when Aylin wasn't available, but soon enough, he heard a soft knock at his door and there she was. Ever since then, it seemed as though they did everything together. She even came to work with him a few times. His bosses didn't seem to mind having the extraordinarily beautiful woman in the shop. In fact, Greyback had, on more than one occasion, caught both Mr. Borgin and Mr. Burke trying to flirt with her. Unsuccessfully, of course. Aylin was always polite to the two of them, but it seemed she only had eyes for Greyback. Whenever she graciously turned down their advances, Greyback felt something swell up in his chest. It felt good.

It was Thursday afternoon, and Greyback felt marvelous. Aylin had sent him an owl that morning, blatantly hinting at something (while still remaining her ever-so-cryptic self), but he didn't quite know what it was.

_Dearest Fenrir,_

_Why don't you meet me at our place tonight at about nine? I have a special surprise for you._

_Love, Aylin._

Yes, he had given Aylin permission to use his first name. It almost sounded tolerable when she said it. She had even come up with a nickname that Greyback didn't cringe at- Enri. Sure, plenty of other men would have run for the hills if someone had called them that, but Greyback liked it a little. And if Aylin wanted to call him that, it was perfectly fine with him.

There was just something about Aylin- the way she was so willing to overlook his shortcomings and distinct lack of most characteristics most people found appealing. There were times that Greyback found him self completely lost in thought, just thinking about her. But strangely, he was comfortable with it. Now, as he thought back to only a little over a month before, he wondered how could live without her. How could he have not wanted any love in his life? Because this was love, he was sure of it. What else could it possibly be? On any given day now, he felt like he had downed a gallon of Felix Felicis. Whatever the world threw at him, he could pick it back up and turn it into something that could be used at his advantage. Or at least throw his troubles right back at the world. Silly world, thinking it could get him down.

Work had been harder this past week. There had been more of an interest in the shop. There had been a bit more business than usual, but for what reason, Greyback had no idea. Maybe there was a convention of shady wizards nearby. He didn't know, and frankly, didn't really care. More customers meant more work, but then it also meant more money. True, the actual shopkeepers got the majority of the money earned, but Greyback's salary did benefit from the sudden boost in sales.

There had been some less wanted interest in the shop, however. The Ministry had recently decided to take on the responsibility to "ensure that all vendors, salespeople, storekeepers, and peddlers were aware of and practicing Ministry-supported method of conducting business." It basically meant that the Ministry was going through shops and making sure shops weren't selling illegal or potentially dangerous items to the public. Which meant that Borgin & Burke's was in danger of being closed. The vast majority of their stock could never bear the metaphorical Ministry seal of approval. Of course, agents had been scouring Knockturn Alley ever since. All three workers had been busy as bees, hiding much of their merchandise and smuggling some of the more valuable, illegal items out into the country, while at the same time trying to satisfy their customers. However, after the shop closed for the day, Mr. Burke let Greyback stay if he wanted and read.

Greyback had learned what the mirror was from an old, musty book. The Mirror of Erised. Apparently, it showed the viewer's deepest desire. Once he read the description of the mirror and decided it was the same one he had put in storage just a week prior, he left the book open on his desk and rushed to where the mirror sat, undisturbed save for a very thin film of dust settling on it. He gently moved it away from the wall, and looked in it again. The exact same reflection looked back out at him as last time. Greyback smiled, then moved it back to face the wall.

So was Aylin all he wanted in the world? Was she all he needed? Quickly, he decided that yes, she was all he ever wanted or ever will need. It was then the idea came to him. What if they actually got married?

And that was what Greyback was thinking about now, on this lovely Thursday afternoon. True, he hadn't known her very long at all, but this was obviously love. It was perfection, the way everything seemed to fit together because of Aylin.

He looked at the ring he had bought with his larger paycheck. Greyback had bought the best one he could afford. As he twirled it in his fingers, he wondered if it was the right time to propose. How long had he known her? Even though it felt like forever, the fact remained that it hadn't been nearly that long.

Still.. if Aylin had a surprise for him at the pond, that sounded romantic. Way more romantic than anything Greyback could ever come up with. Perhaps.. yes. Greyback pocketed the ring, resolving to propose if the opportune moment ever arose.

* * *

It was almost nine. Greyback Apparated to the Forbidden forest at quarter of nine, not wanting to be late. Although he didn't have a watch, he felt rather confident. They had been back here a couple times, and Greyback almost knew the way to the pond by heart. Although the thought of proposing and the ring and everything was nerve-wracking, he tried to put it out of his mind. Besides, he had the perfect little speech prepared: 

_Aylin, you're the most wonderful person I have ever known, and I love you so much. I know I haven't known you long, but it feels like an eternity. And I'm willing to spend the rest of eternity with you if you will let me. Will you marry me?_

Greyback had spent most of the afternoon creating his proposal, and the rest rehearsing it. He was rather pleased with himself. It was perhaps the most eloquent thing he had ever uttered. In case he didn't get the chance to ask her tonight, he had even written it down for some later date.

But he had a feeling. This night would be truly special. The air was so cool and still, the night sky so clear. The stars were sparkling brightly, visible even from the Forbidden Forest. But then again, the trees were further spaced out here than the rest of the forest. Greyback could imagine what it would be like at the pond. They would sit on the soft grass and the sky would reflect off the water.. it would be perfect. And that wasn't counting the 'surprise'. Once again, Greyback wondered what it could possibly be. Maybe Aylin had some old artifact for him. She knew he liked those. But from her letter, it seemed like something bigger. Maybe it was a trip to some distant country. Or maybe..

Suddenly, Greyback was at the pond. It was as tranquil and beautiful as ever, just as reminiscent of Aylin's own loveliness. Greyback wondered where she was, then came to the conclusion that he was probably early. He sat down on the grass, and looked out over the water.

After a few minutes, a bright silver circle emerged from behind a hill and bathed Greyback in moonlight. He had only time to think _Oh, it's a full moon tonight_ when he heard it.

At first, he didn't know what it was. At first, he thought it seemed like a person crying out, but then it changed quickly into a sound like that of an animal in the throes of death. It screamed, piercing both the silence and Greyback's feeling of peacefulness. Greyback leaped to his feet as another shriek echoed through the woods. It would have been eerie enough had it been in the distance, but no, it was very close. He couldn't tell how far away it was, but it couldn't be further away than a hundred yards.

Greyback whipped out his wand, backing slowly towards the water. Maybe it was just a dying animal.. one that was taking a very long time to die. Perfectly harmless.

Then he remembered. Aylin was out there. Even if it was only a dying animal, she was still out there, in the woods. Greyback took half a second to conjure up all his courage, then charged into the forest.

He stopped. The screaming had definitely changed. It was a very distinct howl. Now, Greyback didn't know much about the beasts that lived in this forest, but he knew a howl when he heard one. And this wasn't the howl of something dying. It was clearly a wolf. And Greyback was smart enough to figure out by the screaming that it wasn't just any wolf.

Greyback stood there, frozen in place, an immense wave of fear crashing over him. He was in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, in the vicinity of a werewolf. Not only that, but Aylin was around here somewhere. He just hoped she had Apparated away when she heard the howl. Then, without thinking, he did the first thing that came to mind.

"Aylin! Aylin! Get out of here, there's a werewolf!"

Something was wrong. Then he realized what it was. The howling had stopped. The hair stood up on the back of his neck.

Crunch.

Greyback whirled around at the unmistakable sound of leaves being stepped on. At this point, his mind had completely frozen over. All spells melted away from his memory. Apparation was forgotten. When he saw the gleam of eyes in the darkness, Greyback ran.

He ran as fast as he could away from the monster. His heart beat wildly in his chest. Behind him, Greyback could hear the wolf mindlessly chasing him. He didn't dare look back, but knew it was catching up to him.

Two thoughts ran through his head: _Get away from the werewolf_ and _Aylin please be safe_.

The trees were thicker now. Greyback had no idea where he was, but he didn't care. All that mattered was outrunning the wolf. Which was becoming harder and harder to do every second.

Greyback couldn't breathe. All his energy had been used up in the initial sprint. His chest was threatening to explode, and he had a terrible stitch in his side. He stumbled once, then he knew it was over. When he stumbled again, a mass of hair and fangs collided with his back.

When he hit the ground, he turned around, and stared, terrified, up at the werewolf attacking him.

As the wolf leaped for his face, Greyback threw up his arm. It was caught in the wolf's huge jaws and immediately, red-hot pain shot up up his arm to his shoulder. Greyback yelled, trying to fight back, but the wolf wouldn't let go. The man didn't know what he was doing. All he knew was the pain, but some back corner of his mind wanted the wolf off him. As he flailed helplessly, pinned beneath the werewolf, blackness began to overcome Greyback's senses. For a split second, everything seemed incredibly focused, then all faded to black.


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow, sorry it's been so long since I've updated! Writer's block! Hopefully you like this chapter, it really didn't want to be written.**

* * *

When Greyback stumbled painfully back into consciousness, he immediately was aware of the fire shooting up his arm. His entire body ached, so much that the mere idea of moving seemed impossible. His very bones seemed to be throbbing, every muscle torn from their foundation. He was dimly aware that the agony was concentrated most in his arm. While Greyback dare not open his eyes to the blinding sunlight, he knew it must look bad. It felt raw, and the searing pain felt like poison racing up his arm into the rest of his body. In fact, he would describe it as acid, singeing whatever it touched.

He opened his eyes, then shut them at once. Why was the sun so bright? He lay there a while more, then realising that no help was coming, slowly opened his eyes again. The sun glared at him as brightly as it could, but Greyback ignored it. He slowly, ever so slowly, sat up. What he saw shook him.

His arm. His arm was bleeding and broken. It looked as though a small chunk was gone from his forearm and the elbow was bent at an unnatural angle. Greyback was surprised he hadn't died of blood loss.

Using his good arm, he pushed himself to his feet, holding his delicate right arm away from him. His brain felt fuzzy. His legs were lead. Then a idea came to him, a simple one, yes, but a plan nonetheless.

Find the wand..

Greyback was stumbling around the forest floor, looking for his wand and dripping red onto the leaves when he remembered.

"Agghh!"

It had been a werewolf that bit him.

He fell to the ground, barely registering his bruised and battered knees colliding with the hard earth.

"Argghhh!"

It bit him.

But he couldn't.. no. He would go to St. Mungo's, they'd patch him up, and he'd be fine. Maybe not good as new, but fine. Maybe it hadn't even been a full-fledged werewolf that attacked him. Maybe it was a.. a half-werewolf! Yes, a half-werewolf.

Then he remembered the other part of the previous night.

"Aylin." He whispered.

Where was she? Was she safe? He wished desperately she had gotten away, or had forgotten to come at all.

"Aylin!" Greyback called, his voice hoarse. Silence.

"Aylin..." Maybe she had gotten away in time. Greyback shifted his attention to a more pressing matter.

Well, he couldn't stay here forever. No matter what Aylin said, Greyback was bleeding, and he didn't trust the creatures of the Forbidden Forest to stay away from an easy, injured target.

There it was, right over there. His wand.

Greyback got back to his feet and limped towards it. He too it in his good hand, then wondered what to do now.

Well.. Apparating was the only thing to do.

He spun on the spot, almost tumbling back to the earth, and focused with all his power on Borgin & Burkes'.

His eyes were closed, but he felt the familiar sensation and knew it had worked. He opened his eyes, saw that he had arrived somewhere in Knockturn Alley, then crumpled to the cobblestones.

* * *

When he awoke, he felt.. numb. The pain certainly wasn't gone, but it felt like most of his body had fallen asleep. It was an uncomfortable kind of numb. At that moment, Greyback realised he was awake. He opened his eyes, and decided he must be in St. Mungo's. He had been there a couple times as a child, and it looked similar to the hospital in his memories.

As Greyback looked around the room, his eyes fell on his wrapped up arm. It appeared to be floating or resting on some kind of invisible surface. It still ached, but the scorching pain was gone. How long had be been here anyway?

At that moment, a Healer walked into the room. She was middle-aged and blond, a little on the thin side and almost completely coated in something glittery. She started when she saw Greyback looking at her, then put on an artificial smile.

"Good morning.." She summoned a clipboard, then read off, "Mr. Greyback. It's nice to see you awake finally."

"How.. how long have I been here?"

"Well.. you were brought in Friday morning, and it's Monday now. So you've been sleeping almost four days."

Greyback sat bolt upright. "Four days!"

"Yes, four days. A man named.. Burke brought you in. Said he found you bleeding on the ground. Miracle you're still alive, what with.. well, you know." The Healer's face seemed to tense a bit. "I'll go get my supervisor, I'm not really qualified to.. I'm just here to check up on people and make sure they're not dead pretty much."

She practically vanished from the room, leaving Greyback with a very sour taste in his mouth. He didn't like her. He threw himself back onto the bed, angry that he had slept for so long, like a slug.

"Well, well, Mr. Greyback. I was wondering when you'd be up." A man with shiny brown hair entered the room this time. He wore lime-green robes. Greyback assumed he was Glitter-lady's supervisor. "My name's Bob Rontoman. Now before I say anything, could you tell me exactly what happened? Or do you have any questions?"

Greyback didn't know if he liked this Healer, but he decided to talk. "Uh, I was out in the woods with my.. my friend. And I was waiting for her, and I heard howling, then I saw the wolf, so I ran. It caught up with me." He faltered, unsure of what to say next.

"We thought so. How did you get out of the woods?"

"Apparated."

"Quite the feat for someone in your condition. Now.."

"Wait, did anyone find Aylin?"

"Aylin?"

"Yes, Aylin Vance, she's my friend. I don't know if she got away or not."

"I don't know," Rontoman said. After seeing the expression on Greyback's face, he quickly added," I can check later."

"Check as soon as you can." Greyback wasn't going to wonder any longer than he had to.

"I will. Now, I'm going to be blunt. There's no cure."

What Rontoman was speaking about was obvious to both of them, but Greyback didn't believe it. After all, that sort of thing just didn't happen to normal people. "What?"

"There's no cure to lycanthropy, and you were infected. You'll have to live with it for the rest of your life. I'm sorry."

"Ly.. lycanthropy?"

"Yes.. lycanthrope is the technical term for werewolf."

"No. No no no no no. I can't be a werewolf. They're animals.. they're monsters. I'm just a normal bloke. You made a mistake."

"I'm sorry, but.."

"YOU MADE A MISTAKE!" Greyback yelled, half lunging at the Healer. He fell back onto the bed, suddenly dizzy and too exhausted to protest much more. "I'm.. I can't be.." Greyback didn't want to believe it, but there wasn't even an argument. If a werewolf bit you, you became a werewolf. End of story. Then he realised that he had just tried to launch himself at the Healer. Was he beginning to act like the wolf?

"I know it's a bit of a shock, but it's true." Rontoman was saying quietly. "Now, please listen."

Greyback nodded quietly, still trying to take it in.

"First off, I'm a lot more sympathetic to werewolves than most others, so I'm probably the only person who will listen to your questions. There aren't any pamphlets or books out there on how to be a werewolf. There's no cure, so you'll have to learn to cope with it. Now, possibly the most important thing- get a calendar."

"I already have one."

"Good. One thing you never want to do is forget when the full moon is. Secondly, find yourself somewhere secure to go on full moons. Trust me, you do not want to transform in your flat. Not only would you destroy all your possessions, but it would be incredibly dangerous."

Greyback nodded dumbly. "Why would I destroy all my stuff?"

"Werewolves have no control over themselves when they transform. The wolf takes over and goes after humans. If there aren't any humans, they will demolish pretty much everything in their path. You will attack yourself, and I'm sure you'll end up with some bad scarring."

"What? Why-"

"Werewolves are bloodthirsty. That's just the way it is. Now, you can either come here after a full moon or lie low for a few days and heal up."

"Okay.. when do I get to leave?"

"A few more days, I think. You were in really bad condition when you came in here, and it will take a while for your arm to heal completely. If you want you can come back here if it bothers you too much."

Greyback bit his lip, most unlike him. "What about my job? How am I supposed to make a living?" Once he told his employers what had happened, he was sure to be sacked.

"I don't mean to sound harsh, but that's your problem. Lycanthropy is a valid reason to deny a person a job, and most employers won't hire one. I'd say the best thing to do is some odd jobs for someone. Probably not a regular job, since you'd be out so much."

Greyback shook his head, uttering words most Slytherins considered reserved for Hufflepuffs. "That's not fair."

"That's the way it is."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry this update took so long! I had a little bit of writer's block, but it's all written now. Sorry if it sounds a little funny, I haven't written anything for a while. But I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so maybe you'll have fun reading it. Also, I changed the rating, since I figured this is a pretty dark story and there is some language.**

* * *

A few days later, Greyback arrived at his flat. He switched on the lights, locked the door, and made his way into the kitchen. He started to make a sandwich for himself, as if everything was as it had been before the full moon. Then, just as he was spreading the peanut butter on the rye bread, he snapped.

The werewolf took the butter knife and with a pained roar, propelled it into the wooden counter, where it stood, quivering. The sandwich found itself soaring through the air, and Greyback yelled again, unable to get rid of his anger. There was a week's worth of dirty dishes in the sink, dishes that would never be washed. Greyback snatched up a half-full glass of spoiled milk and hurled it against the wall, where it exploded into a million sharp pieces. Despite his injured arm, Greyback threw anything he could get his hands on. It hurt, but it felt so good. He picked up a metal bowl next, and chucked it towards the shattered glass. It dented the flimsy wall and rolled away into the next room. This made Greyback more angry, who gathered up as many dishes and other kitchen-wares into his arms as he could, then smashed them on the ground.

After all the dirty dishes were gone, Greyback's turned his fury to the silverware. Once all the forks, spoons, and knifes were bent and twisted, Greyback threw himself against the wall. Again. Again. Again. When what of left of his kitchen stopped shaking, Greyback slid to the ground, his entire body quivering in rage.

"Why?" He croaked. "Why me?" Greyback wanted to shout, to yell, to scream at the world for ruining his life, but his energy was gone. He didn't know how long he sat there, curled up in the ruin he had made, but it was cut short by someone knocking at his door.

After about a minute of knocking, Greyback heaved himself to his feet and made his way to the front door, glass crunching beneath his feet. He opened the door with a half-hearted scowl, and said irritably, "What?"

A short, balding man stood there, his arms crossed and looking severely annoyed. Greyback recognised his as the landlord, but honestly couldn't remember and didn't really care what his name was. The man looked Greyback up and down, and finally rested his eyes on the werewolf's large hands, which were covered in tiny cuts. Greyback caught what he was looking at, and put his hand on the inside door knob and the other in his pocket.

"There have many reports of loud noises coming from this flat." The landlord said frostily. "That sort of thing is not tolerated here. If it happens again, you may find yourself without somewhere to live. Do I make myself clear?"

Greyback growled, and was pleasantly surprised to see the short man back up a few feet.

"I'll let you off with a warning this time, but any more crashes from here and don't expect me to be so forgiving next time!" He spoke quickly, clearly not comfortable around Greyback, but unwilling to back down.

Greyback closed the door in his face.

* * *

The next morning, Greyback woke up early and took a long shower. He had never felt so.. dirty.. in his whole life. And his entire life felt sort of grubby. His family, Slytherin, his appearance, his job, his flat.. But this was an all time low. The itching bite on his arm felt like it was festering, it felt as though anything he came near was contaminated. Everything was crashing down around him, and he had a feeling it would get worse before it got better. Then he reminded himself that it probably wouldn't get better, and he felt like smashing a few more dishes. But then, of course, he would get evicted.

His thoughts drifted back to Aylin as he got dressed. Still no sign of her. It had been a week since the full moon, and every day he sank deeper into depression, convinced that the werewolf had gotten her. He shuddered, imagining his perfect angel's mangled body in the Forbidden Forest. He growled (it had quickly become habit) and walked gingerly into the kitchen.

Although demolishing dishes was no longer an option, he still had what was left of the silverware. Greyback gathered the knives and forks from where they lay strewn about, and sat down in his armchair. He sat there, staring into space for a minute or two, then plunged a fork into the arm of the chair.

* * *

When he Apparated to work, something didn't feel right. He heard a noise in the back room, so he walked back there to find both of his employers, speaking in hushed voices.

"Ahem." He said.

The two immediately shut up and turned to look at him. When they didn't say anything, Greyback broke the silence.

"I'm all better now, have anything for me to do?"

The two stared at him, and Borgin's eyes narrowed.

"What?" He knew Borgin didn't like him, but something seemed a little... off.

"Aren't you going to tell us what happened, Greyback?" Burke asked.

"Oh, right." Greyback forgot that Burke had been the one to bring him to St. Mungo's, after all, of course he was curious. Unfortunately, Greyback hadn't thought to come up with an excuse. He couldn't let them know he was.. that it had been a werewolf that attacked him. How many times had he complained to the owners about how werewolves were all vermin that didn't deserve to live, and how many times had they agreed with him completely?

"I was in the Forbidden Forest, and I was attacked by," he wracked his brain for anything that could rip him to shreds, "a hippogriff."

"A hippogriff?"

Greyback nodded, hoping they would believe him. "I stumbled into one, and it went crazy."

"Ah." Burke looked at him suspiciously. "Because Mr. Borgin was under the impression that you had a run in with something else."

The blood rushed out of Greyback's face. "Oh?"

Borgin took over. "You've been out of work for a week! Are you honestly so dimwitted to think I wouldn't ask about you? It's been chaos here, with you gone and Ministry agents popping in every twenty minutes while there's a Black in here trying to buy a cursed music box! And when I go to see what's taking you so long, what do I find? A filthy werewolf!"

Greyback clenched his fists, then said slowly, "How did you know?"

"How didn't I know? I told them I was family, and they told me! I saw your bloody chart! Don't deny it, I have more than enough proof!" Borgin said, disgust twisting his face. "Get out, we don't need a werewolf scaring away our costumers and dirtying up the merchandise."

Greyback glared with all his power at Borgin. How _dare_ he? Greyback took a step towards him and pulled out his wand. To his immense satisfaction, a wave of fear passed over Borgin's face.

"Greyback, get out of here. You don't work here anymore." Mr. Burke said dangerously, his wand pointed at Greyback's chest. "Now."

"You will pay for this some day," Greyback growled, using his new status as a werewolf to make sure his former employers would take him seriously. "You stay away from me, unless you want even more trouble."

Burke glanced uneasily at Borgin. The two were obviously unnerved. Greyback liked it.

"You wouldn't dare try anything." Borgin said. "Try something and I'll have you in Azkaban before you can say-"

"Try me. You tell anyone I'm a werewolf, you tell anyone _anything_, I'll tell them exactly what is in your inventory and where to find it. Or maybe," he added, smiling, "maybe you'll be seeing me again the next time the full moon rolls around, how does that sound?"

He left the room and slammed the door behind him, making the walls shake. Then Greyback quietly locked the door. He was going to make this as difficult as possible for those greedy scumbags. He pulled a table covered with valuable, fragile items on it and placed it in front of the door. He figured those two wouldn't be coming out straight away, if he had scared them as much as he thought he did. And when they did come out, he made sure they wouldn't be happy. Greyback quickly grabbed an armful of books off a shelf, as well as a penknife, a golden watch he'd had his eye on for some time, and some money out of the cash register. With a smile, he walked out of the shop, and Apparated home.

* * *

Now, on top of everything else, he was jobless. Greyback sat in his armchair (which now had assorted pieces of silverware sticking out of it) and tried to figure out what he was going to do. It came to him rather quickly. He hid what he stole from the shop in a closet, then got to work.

Since he wasn't completely sure of what Borgin and Burke were going to do, he locked all his doors and windows and set wards that would alert him if they were broken. Actually, the watch he had stolen would alert him. He was about to leave when an owl appeared at his window. Greyback groaned, and opened the window for the owl. As it flew inside, Greyback's watch started to vibrate. Oh good, it worked. The owl, naturally, had an envelope for him. Greyback opened the envelope, and read

_Dear Mr. Greyback:_

_We have been informed that last full moon, you were bitten by a werewolf, thus contracting lycanthropy. It is necessary that you come to the Ministry of Magic as soon as possible to fill out the required paperwork._

_Sincerely,  
_Frederick Chase

_Werewolf Registry  
Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures_

Greyback frowned. Well, he was going to the Ministry anyway to see if anyone had bothered to look for Aylin, he might as well get the werewolf thing over with while he was there.

* * *

"What was her name again?"

"Aylin Vance." Greyback was annoyed. Did they even care she was missing?

"Okay.." the secretary scratched down the name. "Can you give me a physical description?"

"Long black hair, blue eyes, pale skin, a little on the thin side." He said, impatient but willing to do anything to get her back. "Am I the only one who's asked about her? She's been gone for a week!"

The woman looked up from the parchment, and said, "Yes. Now, can you tell me anything else about her? Family, residence, employment?"

Greyback opened his mouth, then closed it. He didn't know. Surprised, he shook his head.

"Well, I'll give the report to the proper department and we'll see if we can dig anything up on her. Thanks."

Greyback shook his head and turned away. Didn't anyone care she was missing?

* * *

Frederick Chase wasn't a particularly interesting man. He was blond and had a moustache, but other than that, he looked as ordinary as possible. He had a small office and a big desk, which had more drawers than Greyback had ever seen in one place. Out of one of these drawers, Chase pulled out an old notebook.

Greyback raised his eyebrows. He was sitting opposite Chase, twiddling his thumbs and looking around the room, which was rather empty. Chase flipped through the notebook until he found a blank page, then looked at Greyback.

"Name?"

"Fenrir Ryan Greyback."

"Date of Birth?"

This went on for a little while, and after he supplied his birthday, wand description, current and past places of residence, and former employment, there came a pause.

"Do you know who bit you?" Chase asked.

"No idea, it came out of nowhere. I was in the Forbidden Forest." Greyback said. He hadn't thought about who bit him before. He'd just thought of the wolf, not of an actual human.

"Alright, we'll get back to that. Now, I have to take your picture." Chase bent over and pulled out a large camera from one of the many drawers in his desk. "Could you stand against that wall, please?"

Greyback grunted and got up. He didn't like having his picture taken, but he might as well get this over with. It actually wasn't as difficult as he'd thought it would be. Chase didn't seem like he hated Greyback's guts. Maybe because it was his job and he was around enough werewolves that they didn't bother him that much anymore.

After Greyback had a couple photos taken, Chase told him to sit back down. The man put the camera away, and pulled out a huge, battered binder.

"I know you don't know who bit you, but this is Ministry policy. In about half of werewolf attacks, the victim knows the werewolf, although they may not know the person is a lycanthrope. That's a pretty big percentage, so I'm going to have you look through this, and if you see anyone you know, point them out for me." Chase gave the binder to Greyback, who furrowed his brows and began to look at the pictures. He didn't know if he wanted to know who bit him, but part of him needed to know.

It turned out the first few hundred pages of werewolves were dead already, so he skipped to the back. He was surprised to see how normal many of the people looked. Men, women, even some children, all standing against the same wall he had just stood by. Each photograph had a serial number printed on the bottom.

Greyback turned the page, and his eyes fell on a child, who couldn't be more than eleven or twelve. She looked oddly familiar. He squinted, trying to remember where he had seen her before. Greyback mentally shrugged, and started to turn the page, only to find himself staring at the same photo. Why was she so familiar?

Then he realised she had the exact same eyes as Aylin.


End file.
